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Back in December last year I reviewed the Canon Digital IXUS 65, a potentially great little 6MP pocket compact which was let down in the end by some unfortunate image quality issues. Only its exemplary build quality and performance saved it from a severe kicking, and it escaped with a lenient 5/10 overall.

As I said in my review of the IXUS 900 Ti last week, I tend to hold Canon cameras to a slightly higher standard than most other manufacturers. Canon has a dominating share of the global digital camera market, with around 20 percent of compact cameras and a whopping 47 percent of DSLRs sold worldwide bearing the Canon name. If that position is to be deserved, then it needs to be based on quality products, rather than simply brand reputation.

With this in mind, this week I’m taking a look at the IXUS 75, the 7-megapixel replacement for the IXUS 65, launched in February this year. Like the 65, which it closely resembles, it is a high-spec ultra-compact, featuring an f/2.8 – 4.9 3x zoom lens with a focal length range equivalent to 35-105mm, a large 3-in LCD monitor and face detection focusing. It is ultra-compact in size, measuring 91.6 x 56.8 x 19.6mm and weighing 130g minus battery or card. It’s neither the smallest nor the lightest camera on the market, but it will still slip easily into a shirt pocket.

As with the IXUS 65, the 7-megapixel IXUS 75 is competing in the busiest sector of the market. There are a lot of 7MP ultra-compacts available from most of the leading brands, so the IXUS 75 is going to have to go some to stand out from the crowd. For starters it’s competing with Canon’s own gorgeous little IXUS 70, which is smaller, prettier and, at around £142 quite a bit cheaper. The IXUS series is a premium brand, so you expect to pay a little extra, but at around £190 the IXUS 75 is decidedly expensive. When it’s competing against cameras like the Casio EX-Z75 (£108), Pentax Optio M30 (£105), Olympus FE-230 (£112), Nikon S500 (£155) and Sony DSC-W80 (£175) it looks more than a bit overpriced. Only the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 is more expensive at £234, but that camera does at least offer 3.6x zoom and 28mm wide-angle lens.